Thai Airways International and Kansas Modification Center (KMC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start a Boeing 777-300ER passenger to freighter (P2F) conversion programme in Thailand.
The freighter conversions are planned to take place at Thai's MRO centres in Don Mueang and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), said the airline in a recent LinkedIn post.
Chai Eamsiri, chief executive of Thai Airways and James Allen Gibbs, chief executive of Kansas Modification Center (KMC) signed the MoU, which is a first of its kind agreement for Thailand and the region, said Thai Airways.
In April 2024, KMC said it had entered a new collaboration with entities it identifies as Stratos Industries and Integrated Aerospace Alliance, through which it planned to develop a 777 passenger-to-freighter production facility at Casablanca’s Mohammed V airport.
There are currently three 777-300ER conversion programmes in place with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Kansas Modification Center (KMC) and Mammoth Freighters, plus one 777-200LR programme in development with Mammoth.
In April 2022, Backbone Freighter Leasing became the launch customer for KMC's 777-300ER converted freighter.
KMC is cooperating with Wichita State University and aerospace firm NIAR Werx, and had been aiming for US FAA approval of the supplemental type certificate in early 2025.
In May 2023, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted the certification plan for KMC's programme.
Fort Worth, Texas-based freighter conversion company Mammoth has made steady progress on its own freighter conversion with Aspire MRO. The company cut the first door on its inaugural 777-300ERMF freighter conversion in August 2024, then in February, the main cargo door was installed.
This month it was announced that Qatar Airways Cargo would be the launch customer for Mammoth's 777-200 conversion programme after signing up for five of the model.
Meanwhile, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) converted its first 777-300ERSF last year for lessor AerCap in 2023, with the first flight for the aircraft taking place in March that year.
